Hulk reacts to Atlético slip-up: "The responsibility is ours"

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·22 janvier 2026

Hulk reacts to Atlético slip-up: "The responsibility is ours"

After the 1-1 draw between Atlético and América on Wednesday night (21st) at Arena Independência, forward Hulk was one of the main spokespeople for the black-and-white squad in the mixed zone. The result marked Galo’s fourth draw in four games in the Campeonato Mineiro, leaving the team still without a win in the competition.

Directly, the number 7 took responsibility on behalf of the players for the club’s current situation. According to Hulk, the difficulty in making the team work collectively on the field has weighed on the squad’s performance.

Vidéos OneFootball

Unfortunately, when the team isn’t working well collectively, it’s hard to enjoy yourself. Especially when you play for a big club, where there’s a lot of responsibility and the pressure is huge. But I keep saying that it’s us who step onto the field. Sampaoli, along with his staff, runs the training, asks us to do what we’ve practiced, and we’re not managing to do it in the game. So the responsibility is entirely on the players, there’s no point trying to deflect it.

The forward also emphasized the need for an internal conversation within the squad to seek solutions and improve performance during matches: “We need to understand what we can do to improve, have a conversation among ourselves. Only then can you gain a better understanding and, consequently, take that onto the field.”, he added.

Asked about what Atlético has been lacking at the start of the season, Hulk once again highlighted the importance of communication and chemistry among the players during games.

“What’s missing, as I said, is this understanding among us players on the field. It’s no use just training if we don’t communicate. One thing I’ve always demanded, since last year or even the year before, is communication among the players. It’s a team effort—if we’re not all on the same page, it’s going to be difficult,” he said.

Now the Focus is on the Derby

Atlético’s next fixture will be one of the most anticipated of the season. On Sunday (25th), at 6 p.m., Galo faces Cruzeiro at Arena MRV, for the fifth round of the Campeonato Mineiro. Hulk spoke about the importance of the derby and showed confidence in an immediate reaction.

Derby is like a final, we have to approach it that way, just like every derby we play here. Some we win, others we lose, but I’ve won more than I’ve lost. I can say that, I’m privileged. I hope we can get back to winning ways already on Sunday, in front of our fans, playing a great match.

The forward also pointed out that moments of pressure usually demand responses in big games: “When you’re under pressure, big teams usually respond in big games. For sure, everyone knows how to handle this situation. Given our potential, we do have the obligation to play better, the obligation to build better results. God willing, that will start from Sunday onwards.”, he concluded.

With the draw against América, Atlético has four points, sits in third place in Group A, and continues to chase its first win in the Campeonato Mineiro.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.